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Private  Night on the Town    Tag: Ananke Drakos
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Played by Silhouette    152 Posts North Sigurd
Set directly after this thread.

North grins. He thought this day would never come.

Here he was, sitting in one of his Military-issues vehicles, driving through the rather spacious streets of the Inner Citadel — compared to the rest of Stronghold — with a pretty woman sitting in the seat next to him. But that wasn't the unusual thing for him, of course not. What was unusual was who the woman was — Ananke, loyal Military dog and ostentatiously against anything that didn't have to do with Military protocol.

North, her superior, had been bugging her to get out and about on the town for months now, but it had always been in lighthearted fun. He didn't actually think she would ever bend and take the bait, and yet here she was, dressed up in something that he had picked out for her specially for tonight. Of course it had all been set up under the guise of having to scope out a newly opened club together that was suspected to be a front for the Jabberwockies. They both knew it was mostly bullshit — if it really did pose a threat, the Military would just storm in guns blazing, no fucks given. But this was much more fun.

The roar of the engine thrums through the steering wheel and into North's hand currently guiding them through the streets, his other hand lazily perched atop his lap with fingers thrumming some kind of beat. It wasn't like there was much traffic to begin with in Stronghold, so he knew they'd be there soon. But there was still time for some chitchat.

“You should feel honoured, being chosen by me,” he purrs out suddenly, interrupting the silence that previously had settled over the two of them. He pauses for a moment — grins, as the meaning remains ambiguous — before he finishes: “for the mission, I mean.” Yeah, sure, that's what he meant.
TAG Ananke Drakos

Posted 07-24-2021, 04:50 PM This post was last modified: 07-24-2021, 04:51 PM by North Sigurd
Played by    59 Posts Ananke Drakos
As part of her job, Ananke frequently takes long drives out of the city. She's loaded into the back of a truck with a few of her compatriots, carted off into the wasteland, and sent out to kill monsters with a much higher likelihood of killing her instead.

She's not nearly as tense during those trips as she is right now.

There is no armor and no guns. She's practically naked and barely armed. Even the passing of the buildings, the crawling of the city skyline, serves to agitate her further. It's like a countdown to her arrival to the club where, to be honest, she has no idea what's going to happen.

At least when she's fighting Infected, she knows that she's fighting Infected. There are formations to follow, call signs to answer, and death tolls to count. Tonight? She hasn't got the slightest clue. She's been to the Inner Citadel before- hell, she technically lives there- but North is driving them deeper into the city, where the lights are brighter and the streets much less familiar.

Speaking of North, the Major seems to be enjoying himself way too much for an official mission. Is he always this lax on the job?

"Of course sir," she drawls, still looking out the window. She's refused to look his way the entire trip. "Honored to be chosen to spend what would have been a free evening working a case that I have no specialization in." The specialist crosses her leg, unsettled. The knife was a mistake. It better come in handy at some point tonight... "What exactly is our objective here? A confession? A written ledger?" He's been frustratingly mum about the details.

Posted 07-26-2021, 04:43 PM
Played by Silhouette    152 Posts North Sigurd
He had noticed the way Ananke had purposely kept her head turned towards the window at her side, refusing to look anywhere near North. But he didn't let it get his spirits down; soon enough they'd be in a small, confined space where she had to interact with him in order to not make it seem so suspicious. He grins at the thought, and lets that keep his mood alive.

A small chuckle leaves him as she begins to respond to his comment, enjoying the way she was keeping her tone neutral rather than enraged as he was sure she was. Still, he can't help but roll his eyes at her comment about taking on a mission that she didn't specialize in. Even he knew that sometimes in the Military, you had to simply shut up and do as you were told, regardless of whether or not it was your job. She was lucky he didn't mind the way she talked back to him. If it was anyone else, she probably wouldn't have been so lucky with their response.

“You act as though you don't remember anything from your days in the Military Academy,” North sighs dramatically. “Remember you weren't always trained in Infected elimination. Just remember your basics, and you'll be fine,” he continues, and for a moment it almost seems as though he's trying to encourage her — too bad it's ruined by the smug grin on his face.

“This is a recon mission,” North continues after a pause, as though thinking about how much information he wanted to reveal to her. Or maybe he was just coming up with stuff on the fly. “This club is new, and the Military has yet to figure out if it's just another front for the Jabberwockies or not. As you know, normally we'd just raid the place and fuck the consequences, but because this is in the Inner Citadel and will be crawling with filthy rich, we have to be a bit more... Tactful of how we handle this.”

A wry grin at the thought that they were playing secret spies simply because they didn't want to upset the rich that helped fund the Military. How ironic was that.
TAG Ananke Drakos

Posted 08-02-2021, 12:49 AM
Played by    59 Posts Ananke Drakos
Remember your basics. Sure, that'll help. "Basic training didn't exactly cover how to infiltrate nightclubs, sir," Ananke says pointedly. "It was drills and marching and uniform maintenance." She doubts any kind of training could possibly prepare her for being trapped in a car with North either. The specialist knows that if she turned her head, the Major would be sporting his signature smug smirk.

The clientele involved doesn't bode well either. "So they're filthy rich," she feels the need to clarify. Just the idea of it makes her tense up visibly. "Rich enough to look twice at me?"

You can put Ananke in whatever clothes you want, but that doesn't change the fact that she's a military orphan, born and raised in captivity for the sole purpose of being a soldier. The idea of having money, more money than you need or know what to do with, is an entirely alien concept to her, and it shows. She's sorely suited for camouflaged, and North should know that. Just one look at her body, worn and scarred and barely covered in this flimsy excuse for a dress would tip any socialite off that she simply doesn't belong.

Posted 08-02-2021, 10:59 AM
Played by Silhouette    152 Posts North Sigurd
North glances to the side, a raised brow at Ananke's response to his claim that she should remember basic training. She didn't seem quite convinced that it would help her here at all — in fact, she outright claims that it had never prepared her for infiltrating a nightclub. While that was true, North doubts that basics didn't provide her any skills that would be useful. Like mathematics, you could memorize all the formulas in the world, but what separated the truly genius was those that knew when and how to apply them depending on the situation.

In his eyes, basics training was no different.

“Basics training teaches you more than just simple stuff. It's just a matter of taking those skills and applying them to a situation that you may or may not have encountered before. That's what makes the best soldiers — those that are highly adaptive under any circumstance.” A pause, and then amusement in his voice as he questions her: “Are you telling me you're not one of our best officers?” There it is, a way to try and goad her.

North doesn't know if it'll do any good, but as far as he could tell, Ananke took a lot of pride in her work as a Military soldier. Yet here she was, admitting to her superior that she didn't think she could take on a silly nightclub when she normally went guns blazing into an Infected nest? For shame.

His gaze slides sideways to look at her again before he turns his attention back to the road, silent as Ananke questions about the 'filthy rich' looking twice at her.

North didn't really understand it. Understand what exactly she was so nervous about. But then again, North saw beauty in pretty much everyone, so he wasn't exactly the best bar to hit in terms of what people deemed as good looking. Still, Ananke lacked a lot of confidence in herself, which is exactly why North figured this would do her some good. Get her out of those dark, drab Military gear and into something that could really show off who she is as a person. Not just some Military dog.

“You'll be fine,” North responds, surprisingly going for a simple answer rather than teasing her like he normally did. “Besides, if it makes you feel any better, I'm sure most eyes will be on me.” A dramatic sweep of fingers through his hair and a laugh. He's teasing her once more, but somehow in a way to try and make her less anxious about the situation.
TAG Ananke Drakos

Posted 08-08-2021, 08:39 PM
Played by    59 Posts Ananke Drakos
Whatever basic training North went through when he was her rank, probably a couple decades ago, Ananke has doubts that his experience had been the exact same as hers. And even if it were, the Major is grossly exaggerating the usefulness of basic training. "I suppose not," Ananke admits, deadpan. "It looks like I've betrayed your faith in me. What a tragedy." Perhaps her ensuing uselessness will teach him better than to pluck his nest elimination soldiers out of their normal jobs, and make them put up with ridiculous assignments like this.

It's not that Ananke worries much about her appearance. In a life full of constant fighting and drills, trying to survive against the most evolved killers on earth, she's hardly worried about about scars and nicks every so often. But walking into unknown territory where she's certain appearances are everything- that's an entirely different story. If she didn't know any better, Ananke would way North were setting her up for failure.

But then he says "You'll be fine," and it honestly takes Ananke aback. Where's the taunts? The rude implications? He's being sincere and she doesn't like it. Ugh. Well at least this time around she's hoping that he'll actually be right. "Of course sir," Ananke says, not sarcastic but certainly not sincere. The fact that for once he seems to not be up to something just makes her think the opposite...

Posted 08-09-2021, 04:45 PM
Played by Silhouette    152 Posts North Sigurd
Much as Ananke seems to resist any notion of him wanting to help her out, she finally seems to accept his simple 'you'll be fine' without any of the fuss she was kicking up just minutes earlier. Finished speaking, North is content to let them fall into an easy silence, the only sound being the roar of the engine as he drives them to where they need to go. Considering how easy it was to get around Stronghold without the requirement of a vehicle, it meant the roads were usually pretty empty, save for the occasional Military patrol scouting the streets for trouble.

North parks the car on the side of the street once the club comes into view — or, at least where he knew the club was situated. From the outside it looks like a typical highrise building, the only difference being the line of people along the street waiting to get past the bouncer at the entrance. North himself can hear the pounding of the bass from several floors up, but it's mostly likely only due to his Infected super hearing.

Shutting off the engine, North hurries himself from his seat, so that he can make it to Ananke's side before she has a chance to open her door herself.

“Allow me,” North purrs like he's some sort of gentleman, as he leans forward and opens the door for her. He doesn't offer her his hand for help out — he knew that would be too far already, and he'd risk her shooting him in the hand in offense. The Major waits until she exits the car before he turns his gaze in the direction of the lineup, a small hum of thought boiling up in his throat.

“I think you should get us in,” North comments casually, tilting his head away to hide his smirk from Ananke. “Women tend to have better luck getting into places with big burly bouncers.” It was something of a lie. North prided himself on his charisma. Without saying anything, he even extends out an elbow, offering to have her thread an arm along with his as if they really were a couple.
TAG Ananke Drakos

Posted 09-14-2021, 04:38 PM
Played by    59 Posts Ananke Drakos
As much as Ananke prays for the moment to come, the club comes into view, the car begins to slow, and the Specialist realizes that the time of reckoning has come upon her. She contemplates lingering in the car for just a little longer, but even that right is denied to her, as North decides to do the 'chivalrous' thing and open the car door for her, exposing her to the outside world.

"Allow me." Hah. He knows that he's really doing.

The woman huffs, and then practically balances herself on the ridiculous shoes she's been expected to wear. Honestly, they would have qualified as weapons with how thin the heels were, but taking off your shoes just to stab someone with them just wasn't feasible to do. Although she'd be willing to make an exception for some people...

As much as the thought of it makes her want to vomit. It would be less suspicious for them to act as if they at least tolerated each other. Both ways. So she threads an arm through his like she isn't insanely repulsed by the idea, but that doesn't make her susceptible to his next idea.

"Nonsense," Ananke says at North's suggestion. "You and I both know you're the more convincing of the two of us by far."

After all, she's here right now, isn't she?

Posted 09-27-2021, 06:08 PM
Played by Silhouette    152 Posts North Sigurd
Much to his great surprise, she accepts his crooked arm with very little resistance. Perhaps having her balance precariously on several inch high pumps was a good thing in more ways than one. It seemed to take the anger out of the Military dog, and bring her down to a much more manageable level. Her lack of gun also meant he didn't have to worry about her threatening him with it.

He grins. This will be great fun.

They walk as they speak, Ananke immediately turning down his suggestion of using herself to get into the club. North rolls his eyes with a huff, even if he can't exactly disagree with her statement. He was a silver-tongued wolf, that much was true, and considering his persuasion on both men and women, it did make more sense for him to be the one to flirt and get them inside. It made the most sense, but he wasn't exactly the one to follow things by the book. Besides, Ananke needed this more than him.

North brings the two of them to the front of the line, ignoring both curious as well as angry looks thrown their way for cutting to the front. The bouncer immediately holds out a hand, stopping them from entering the club.

"Woah, no cutting! Get back in line and wait yer turn!" the man's gruff voice booms out as the man first looks at North, then looks at Ananke. Or, well, part of Ananke. North immediately dips down and sticks his mouth close to her ear to whisper:

“Remember, women flirt with their breasts.” His hot breath lingers on her neck as he pulls back — then unlinks their arms and shoves her towards the bouncer.
TAG Ananke Drakos

Posted 10-04-2021, 05:44 PM
Played by    59 Posts Ananke Drakos
The confusion comes slowly, too late for Ananke to avoid what's coming next. "What are you-" The Specialist isn't given any time to react before her arm is relinquished and her back is pushed. The Major's last words linger in her mind as she realizes what he's done.

The prick.

As much as Ananke would like to immediately withdraw from the mission, slap the bouncer across the face, and then disappear off the face of the Earth, she knows that doing so is easier said than done. She has a job to do. She has a superior officer whose bad side she shouldn't get on, as much as she loathes the idea of doing what he says. Most of all, she has no idea where in the city they are and how she'd get home even if she were to leave.

Still, that doesn't mean the Specialist is about to roll over like some kind of dog. She'd still rather escape this situation with at least some of her dignity. When she approached the man guarding the club, her gait is still that of a soldier's, heels or no. North wants her to get them in? Fine.

Suddenly, without warning, she snatches at the bouncer's tie, jerks him inwards so he can only look at her in the eye. She considers her options. Violence would be an effective motivator at this distance. But would it be the most effective?

"...we'll pay you five hundred credits to let us in first," Ananke eventually decides to say. "And by we, I mean him." Her head jerks towards the Major's direction. After all, that's the kind of thing a leader does, isn't it?

Posted 10-17-2021, 10:30 AM
Played by Silhouette    152 Posts North Sigurd
He grins; smirks. Enjoys the way she stumbles as she's pushed forward, unused to the high heels that slim up her exposed calves. The dress is a nice fit on her — even nicer from the back, wink wink — and North takes a moment to enjoy the view as Ananke takes a second to regain her bearings before she begins marching over to the bouncer. Her gait is...

Odd, to say the least. Like a duck out of water.

She marches like a solider in boots, not like a lady in heels, and it's almost enough to make North regret putting Ananke in the clothes in the first place. But ever the optimist, he quickly shakes off the feeling — no, she needed this, even if she didn't realize it. However, whatever grin he had on his face watching his subordinate is quickly subdued when he hears her decide to procure their way inside not by flirting as he had suggested — but by claiming that he would pay for them!

Maybe Ananke didn't expect him to overhear, but his Infected-level of hearing meant he heard it all. The smile on his face is gone as he finally follows her, begrudgingly shoving a handful of bills in the man's expectant hand before they're both finally allowed inside. North's hand immediately finds a place on Ananke's back, but it's a rather forceful push he applies to force her forward, annoyance evident in the very gesture.

“Is that how this night is going to go? You disobeying me?” he quips with an annoyed look in her direction as they wait now for the elevator that will take them up to the exclusive lounge. “This is a mission and I am your superior, remember? You continue to act like your usual Military self and you're going to give us away. How would you like that on your permanent record?” A bit of a threat always did well for someone so dedicated... Right?
TAG Ananke Drakos

Posted 10-28-2021, 10:21 PM
Played by    59 Posts Ananke Drakos
The plan goes off without a hitch. And by plan, she means bribe, because thankfully the bouncer turned out to be the type of man to catch on quick, take the money given to him, and then promptly shut up. Which would have been the best case scenario for him, because Ananke's contingency plan would have been considerably less profitable for him. And more violent.

That's obstacle one out of the way. Now to conquer two through God knows how many.

Including, possibly, her own superior officer. From the way he's taken to shoving her in every general direction, he doesn't seem too pleased. She bristles under the weight of his threats. He's toeing the very line of legality here and he knows it. If they get caught, their means might have to change, but that won't necessarily prevent them from completely their mission objective, will it? "You said, and I quote, 'I think you should get us in.' It wasn't exactly an order," the Specialist points out. "Everything else was arguably conjecture."

Besides, she's not the only one who might be giving the two of them away. "And you should speak for yourself. If you keep throwing your 'date' around," she hisses, air quotes palpable, "people will catch on."
Posted 11-13-2021, 04:56 PM
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